The Startup That Pushed the Boundaries of Robotics: A Pioneering Journey

Breaking new ground is never easy. There are no pre-set formulas or guides to follow; success demands rigorous analysis, relentless experimentation, and adaptability. Yet, the reward for being first is the freedom to secure promising contracts and claim the market share your resources can sustain. To gain insights into this challenging yet rewarding path, we spoke with Maxim Zverkov, a seasoned entrepreneur, founder of multiple companies, and CEO of the groundbreaking tech startup Abagy.

Maxim Zverkov is a distinguished entrepreneur and a leading expert in strategic management and business development. Over his career, he has founded and managed seven companies with a collective workforce of several hundred employees and an impressive annual turnover of $50 million. In 2003, he established the Formika Group of Companies, which specializes in organizing business events and trade fairs, as well as producing trade fair structures. Today, Formika boasts a portfolio of hundreds of projects and events worldwide. Currently, Zverkov has shifted his focus entirely to advancing his latest venture: the innovative IT startup, Abagy Robotic Systems.

Launched as a technology startup in 2017, Abagy Robotic Systems has evolved into a globally recognized company specializing in robotic production cells powered by proprietary software. What sets Abagy apart is its ability to automate small-batch and custom production processes, addressing a key limitation of traditional robotics: the extensive time required for reprogramming robots and the stringent accuracy demands for part placement. This breakthrough eliminates bottlenecks in classic robotization paradigms, maximizing operational efficiency for business owners.

By 2023, Abagy had successfully implemented 12 projects across the United States, Canada, and Europe. The company is now in active negotiations with leading suppliers, robotics integrators, and industrial clients worldwide.

Maxim, you’ve founded companies across a range of industries. What inspired you to dive into a new field with a technology startup?

I’ve always been drawn to challenges that others consider impossible. I believe the companies I’ve built have significantly influenced their respective industries.

Take Formika, for example. What started as a stand-building business has grown into a major international trade fair operator with its own production facilities for unique stands and a cutting-edge digital studio. At one point, we attempted to robotize the production of trade fair stands. However, the classical robotics approach proved highly inefficient—each stand is unique, and reprogramming the robot for every new project consumed too much time.

That’s when we began exploring how to make robots adapt quickly to new parts. This curiosity led to the creation of Abagy, a project that enables automation for small-scale and custom production. Abagy Robotic Systems is more than just a business; it’s a venture-driven innovation reshaping the world of robotics with technology that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere.

Revolutionary ideas often face skepticism at first. Did you encounter this with Abagy? How did you successfully introduce it to the market?

Our journey with Abagy began by leveraging our own production experience. However, scaling the technology to industrial levels required us to deeply understand the needs and goals of potential customers. To do this, we showcased our technology at an industrial trade fair, where we signed our first contracts with robotics equipment suppliers.

For our initial customer, we adopted a PaaS (Production as a Service) model—charging for the meters of welded joints rather than selling hardware or software. This first industrial deployment taught us a critical lesson: it’s essential to transition from MVPs (minimum viable products) and pilot projects to real-world production environments as early as possible. We practically worked on-site at the customer’s facility, meticulously analyzing their production processes, collaborating with their technologists to optimize welding parameters, and rigorously testing the robotic cell. The result? A 6-7x increase in productivity. Abagy was no longer just a concept—it became a fully realized industrial product.

Demonstrating the capabilities of our technology through this first robotic cell proved instrumental. It not only showcased the value of Abagy to potential customers but also provided the momentum needed to expand globally.

Abagy is the first company to deliver robotic systems under the PaaS (Production as a Service) model. Can you share the results of this implementation?

Indeed, no one had done this before us—not in Europe, nor in the United States. The PaaS model proved invaluable during our market entry, effectively dispelling skepticism surrounding robotics.

For our first implementation, we deployed a robotic cell in a production facility. This included robots, a sensing system (technical vision and sensors), and our proprietary software. The customer paid only for the output—the welded product—without bearing the upfront costs of equipment, commissioning, or maintenance.

The customer specializes in welded structures for bridges, where each part is manually assembled before the final welding process. Each weld is unique, but the robots adapt seamlessly. On this particular cell, 50 different types of parts, measuring 5 to 10 meters, are processed. Over the first 18 months of operation, the total length of welded joints produced by the cell reached 30 kilometers. These structures are now used in highways and transportation interchanges.

Our solution reduced the company’s welding costs by half compared to human labor, as confirmed by their financial data.

For customers, PaaS eliminates the need for significant one-time investments, allowing them to explore automation with minimal risk. At the same time, this model aligns the interests of both parties: we and the customer are equally invested in maximizing the cell’s performance. This creates a synergy that encourages close collaboration to achieve optimal efficiency. For instance, we don’t just install and maintain the robotic cell; we also assist the customer in areas like optimizing their logistics. 

For us as a supplier, PaaS a capital-intensive model, and profitability unfolds over the long term. While we’re open to returning to the PaaS model, we’re also exploring other business approaches. For example, we’re experimenting with a licensing model. Interestingly, our first industrial customer is now installing a second cell, and this time they’ve opted for an annual license.

How do you collaborate with robot manufacturers? Have they requested exclusive partnerships?

Our priority is to make Abagy universally compatible with as many types of equipment as possible. This ensures that we can “assemble” a robotic cell using any brand of robot. Technically, this broad compatibility is achieved through the Robot Transfer Protocol—a communication protocol developed by our engineers for each manufacturer. Thanks to this protocol, integrating a new brand of equipment takes only two to three weeks and requires just one or two developers. Currently, we support major brands like Fanuc, Kuka, Yaskawa, ABB, and Comau, and we’re fielding requests from others, including Mitsubishi, Panasonic, and IGM.

Initially, manufacturers sought exclusivity, but we recognized the potential of a cross-platform solution. Ultimately, we signed our first agreements with the “big five” industrial robotics companies at a trade fair where we showcased Abagy’s capabilities. This collaborative model benefits our partners as well, opening doors to small businesses and niche producers in the small-scale and custom manufacturing sectors—markets previously out of reach under the traditional robotics paradigm.

Do you continue to exhibit Abagy at trade shows?

In recent years, we’ve represented Abagy at FABTECH—the largest metalworking and welding trade show in North America. We’re already preparing for FABTECH 2025, which will be held in Chicago, home to our demo center.

At FABTECH, we go beyond presentations. We bring robots, parts, and demonstrate robotic welding live over the course of three days. Visitors can even don masks and step into the demo zone to see the process up close. We also broadcast the demonstration on large screens for maximum visibility. In 2024, we unveiled a groundbreaking feature of our software: voice-controlled welding. Additionally, we’re introducing a new-generation scanner that will double processing speeds. 

At these trade fairs, we showcased real products from our customers, all welded using Abagy technology. As our customer base grows, we believe it’s essential to highlight how our solutions tackle diverse production challenges.

How do you assess the results of your work at trade fairs?

For us, the primary goal is to connect with customers—both long-standing partners and those exploring our technology for the first time. At FABTECH in Orlando this fall, we engaged with about 400 customers. Following the event, our managers have scheduled several follow-up meetings, including sessions at our demo center in Chicago, where customers can experience Abagy in action once again.

From my perspective, trade shows are incredibly effective for building brand awareness, particularly when paired with valuable content. The first year we participated at FABTECH, attendees were simply asking what we were. By the second year, they recognized us. At FABTECH 2024 in Orlando, people even told us they were fans of our YouTube channel.

Your focus has been on welding automation. Do you plan to expand into other manufacturing operations?

Many manufacturing operations suitable for robotics are already compatible with Abagy. We’ve developed solutions for laser cutting, painting, and grinding, all built within the same platform logic. However, we’ve chosen to concentrate on welding for now. Our aim is to offer the most advanced robotic solution in this niche before broadening our scope.

In your opinion, what are Abagy’s prospects in international markets? Our technology is highly sought after by small and medium-sized businesses, as evidenced by successful implementations in the US, Canada, and Europe. The demand for robotization in smaller industries, combined with simplified robot programming, is a pressing market need. This was even a key focus at the latest IFR (International Federation of Robotics) meeting.Abagy’s technology empowers small-scale manufacturers to automate their processes, boosting productivity while reducing operational costs. This is especially crucial in industries struggling to find qualified specialists. A single robotic cell can replace multiple highly skilled workers without requiring an on-site programmer.